


Can You Tell

by lemonsarentsour



Category: Pacific Rim (Movies)
Genre: Fluff, Long-Distance Relationship, M/M, One Shot, Short One Shot, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, no beta we die like chau, projection who, uprising don't interact
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-05
Updated: 2021-02-05
Packaged: 2021-03-17 14:28:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 824
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29227008
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lemonsarentsour/pseuds/lemonsarentsour
Summary: 7,000 miles is a really, really long way.
Relationships: Newton Geiszler/Hermann Gottlieb
Comments: 4
Kudos: 19





	Can You Tell

It had been a month, give or take a couple of days, since Newt had moved over 7,000 miles away from Hermann. After the war had ended, they had both been inundated with offers for jobs; fellowships, heads of faculties at prestigious universities, research roles (one of Hermann's job offers even included a new building designed for his work). As soon as the email appeared in Newt's inbox offering a position in the new Marine Biodynamics Lab at the San Diego PPDC base, any deliberation was cut short; he had sent an enthusiastic acceptance email immediately after making Hermann read the offer. The only problem was that the PPDC were aggressively cultivating their image away from warmongering and towards rehabilitation, and as such they wanted one of the two scientists who'd saved the world to start straight away on doing it again. Hermann, on the other hand, had been told in no uncertain terms that he could not be transferred to another base until he had completed his analysis of the triple event and the closing of the Breach.

"It's fine," Hermann had assured his labmate-come-partner with a peck on the cheek, "the time will fly by, and we will be reunited before you know it." He was always right, but leaving Hermann behind just as their relationship had begun to blossom weighed heavy on Newt's mind.

They had agreed upon twice weekly video calls, a timetable to which they stuck to faithfully for the first two weeks, until Newt had fallen asleep after collapsing on the couch and missed Hermann's call. Three days later, Hermann had swiftly had to cancel their next call in favour of an urgent meeting. These circumstances combined meant that, by the time Newt settled beneath a throw on his couch, laptop precariously balanced on a stack of comics, it had been over a week since they had spoken properly. He beamed as Hermann's call ID popped up on his screen (a picture he had surreptitiously taken in the lab years ago in which Hermann looked incredibly pissed off at something), waving into the camera as he answered.

"Hey, Herms! I've missed you so bad!" Hermann's smile wasn't as wide as Newt's, but just as warm as he propped his PADD up against something Newt couldn't see. The way the corners of his eyes crinkled as he watched Newt sit back made the other man want to reach out and grab him through the screen.

"Good evening, Newton. I've missed you terribly too," his voice was measured even as he gave a sad smile, reached beyond the view of the camera to retrieve a tupperware and fork. "Please, tell me your work has been more exciting than mine," Hermann ate his lunch as Newt rambled about what the last 9 days had involved for him, going into painstaking detail about the most tangential of subjects, arms gesticulating wildly as he spoke. Watching the small man on his screen made him wonder how on earth he had coped for so long without him.

"...Hermann? Herms?," Newt took on a sing-song voice as he tried to get the other man's attention.

"Oh, I'm sorry Newton, do go on," Hermann said, shaking himself from his daze and smiling blandly. He wasn't sure why he thought this would satiate his partner.

"What's up dude? You're all spaced out," Newt's concern was etched across his features, his movements stilling as he leaned forward, resting his forearms on his thighs. Hermann sighed heavily.

"I really am sorry, I just...I miss you. I confess I wasn't expecting this to be as challenging as it has been. I think of you often, Newton," he chose to ignore the faux-shock adorning Newt's face in favour of honesty, "and I am very much looking forward to seeing you again." Newt's face softened, and he fell back into the cushions.

"I miss you too, Herms. Like so bad. It's only a couple more months, right? Then you can criticise me up-close," he said with a laugh, rubbing the tired eyes behind his glasses.

"I resent the insinuation that my first instinct upon reuniting would be to chide you, Newton," Hermann argued, but there was no bite to it. Newt yawned, a soft smile gracing his features as he pulled the throw around himself again, in a position he had dubbed 'the Jabba'.

"We both know you'll be too tounge-tied seeing your gorgeous boyfriend to get a straight sentence out anyway," Newt's eyes began to droop, allowing Hermann to enjoy the way his freckles danced across his face.

"I am never tounge-tied, and you ought to go to sleep. You look exhausted." Managing a nod, Newt laid his head against the arm of the sofa, rubbing the back of his neck.

"Mm… night Herms…"

"Do try to make it into bed. Goodnight, Newton."

"Love youuuuuu…"

The call ended before Hermann had time to process what Newt had just said.

**Author's Note:**

> Sorry if any of this was ooc, I miss my partner and I'm projecting HARD. Title is from the song 'Can You Tell' by Ra Ra Riot, which Newt totally listened to and definitely didn't cry.  
> https://open.spotify.com/track/0XDcSEkt3jxodb3wM3lguH?si=1kQ13Hv6RjqdHemeB583ug
> 
> Find on twitter at gottliebs_chalk


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